Concealed pocket



June 9, 1936. H. B. WELCH CONCEALED POCKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18, 1935 Egg '1 June 9, 1936. H. B. WELCH CONCEALED POCKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 18, 1935 Patented June 9, 1936 V V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONCEALED POCKET Herman B. Welch, West Bend, Wis., assignor to Amity Leather Products 00., West Bend, Wis., a. corporation of Wisconsin Application March 18, 1935, Serial No. 11,605

1 Claim. (01. ISO-36) This invention appertains to pocket-books, and tion with the pocket running in opposite direcmore particularly to ladies hand-bags, and has tions from the closure thereof.

for one of its salient objects the provision of Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse section novel means for forming a pocket in the bag, and through the hand-bag, taken substantially on 5 novel means for forming a closure therefor. the line 4--4 of Figure 3, the View being on a 5 Another primary object of the invention is to slightly enlarged scale. provide a pocket located in the bag in such a Figure 5 is an elevation of a flap of a ladys manner, and covered by a sealing flap in such hand-bag, showing the inside face thereof, parts a Way, that the pocket will be normally hid of the ,view being shown broken away and in from the casual observer, thereby rendering the section, the view illustrating another form of 10 pocket of a secret nature. the invention with the closure of the pocket ar- A further object of the invention is the proranged adjacent to the outer edge of the main vision of a ladys hand-bag having a concealed flap.

pocket arranged either in the body of the bag Figure 6 is a front elevation of a ladys handor the main flap of the bag, and provided with bag, with the main flap open and partially broken 15 a Zipper fastener, with an auxiliary flap overaway, parts of the hand-bag being also shown lying the entrance to the pocket forserving the broken away and in section to illustrate structriple function of, first, concealing the pocket tural details, the view illustrating a further form entrance; second, covering the unsightly apof the invention with the pocket extending into pearance of the fastener when the bag is open; the body of the bag from the closure; 20

and, third, serving as a guard to prevent injury Figure 7 is a front elevation of a ladys handand wear to the inside of the bag by the fastener. bag, with the flap broken away, and with parts A further important object of the invention is of the body of the bag broken away and in secto arrange the entrance of the pocket in such .tion to illustrate structural details, the view a manner that the closurefastener therefor will showing a still further form of the invention 5 lie parallel with and flat against the main flap with the pocket formed in the front face of the or the body of the bag, as the case may be, body of the bag. whereby a relatively thin, non-bulky closure will Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein he had. i similar reference characters designate corre- A still further object of the invention is to sponding parts throughout the several views, the 30 provide novel means for arranging the pocket letter F generally indicates the main closureflap and the closure therefor, so that the pocket can of a ladys hand-bag. The outer wall or back extend in either direction from the closure, or H) of the flap F forms a continuation of the outer in both directions from the closure. face of the body of the bag in the usual manner,

With these and other objects in view, the inand the invention relates to the novel means of 35 vention consists in the novel construction, ar forming a pocket II on the inner face of the rangement, and formation of parts, as will be flap. The inner face of the main flap F is covhereinafter more specifically described, claimed, ered by an inner wall or piece 12, preferably and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, formed from leather or other wear-resisting main which drawings: terial, and this piece or wall I2 is sewed at its 40 Figure 1 is an elevation of the main flap of a transverse edges, and its outer longitudinal edge, hand-bag, showing the inside thereof with parts as at l3, to the transverse and outer longitudinal thereof broken away and in section to illustrate edge of the back or outer wall In of the flap. structural details, the body of the bag being en- It is to be noted that the transverse stitches tirely broken away. terminate short of the inner longitudinal edge of Figure 2 is a transverse section through the the wall l2, and this provides an auxiliary bendmain flap of the bag-taken substantiallyon the able flap l4. Sewed between the back I!) and line 2--2 of Figure 1, illustrating the novel conthe inner wall I2 is a partition i5 formed of struction of the pocket, the concealing flap, and fabric, or the like. This partition forms a pocket the closure therefor. between the same and the wall I2 and a space 50 Figure 3 is a front elevation of a lady's handbetween the same and the back In. In the space bag, with the main flap in its open position, parts between the back Ill and the partition I5 is arof the hand-bag being shown broken away and ranged the novel pocket II. A finishing strip 16 in section to illustrate structural details, the of leather or the like is sewed across the partiview illustrating a modified form of the invention I5, and the back of the body of the bag, and. 55

this finishing strip I6 is provided with a longitudinally extending, relatively wide slot or cutout portion H, which forms an entrance to the space between the back l0 and the partition l5. The pocket II is preferably formed by a silk lining or other material l8, and this lining is folded back upon itself on a longitudinal line, and has its longitudinal edges sewed respectively; as at I!) and 20, to the finishing strip IS on one side of the slot l1, and to the finishing strip and the partition |5 on the other side of the slot H. The 1 side transverse edges of the lining are then suitably sewed together, as at 2|. A Zipper fastener 22 is utilized to close the slot and the entrance to the pocket H, and the tapes of the fastener are sewed respectively to the finishing strip IS on 010- posite sides of the slot I! by the line of stitches l9 and 20 heretofore referred to.

It is to be noted that the Zipper fastener lies flat against and parallel with the back of the flap, and hence a thin, non-bulky closure is formed for the pocket.

In accordance with this invention, the auxiliary flap l4 completely overlies the Zipper fastener 22, and the entrance to the pocket H, and hence the entrance and the pocket is normally hid from the view of a casual observer. Particular stress is laid on the bendable flap M, in that the flap protects the body of the pocket-book from wear by the abrasive action of the metal of the fastener, and hides the unsightly appearance of the fastener from view.

Various modifications of the invention can be made, and in Figures 1 and 2 the pocket II is shown extending into the flap, and this pocket can be so formed as to extend into the body of the pocket-book, instead of the flap, or both into the flap and in the body of the pocket-book.

In Figures 3 and 4 the pocket is shown extending both into the flap and body portion of the pocket-book or hand-bag. In. Figures 3 and 4 the pocket-book or hand-bag is generally indicated by the reference character B, and the same includes the body 25 and main closure flap 26.

The closure flap 26 forms a continuation of the back of the body, and this flap has sewed thereto an inner wall or piece 21, which corresponds to the wall |2 in Figures 1 and 2. A partition wall 28 extends the full length and width of the back of the pocket-book, and is sewed at its transverse and longitudinal edges to the back. This partltion piece has a facing of leather or other wearresisting material 29 on its inner face between the body of the pocket-book 25 and the flap 26. This finishing piece 29 preferably extends a short distance into the body of the'pocket-book and into the flap and under the inner wall 21 of the flap. The finishing piece 29 and the partition wall 28 are provided with a longitudinally extending, relatively wide slot or cut-out portion 30, which forms the entrance to the novel pocket. The pocket is preferably formed by a piece of lining 3|, or other material, which extends substantially the full length and width of the back, and the ends of the lining are folded back upon themselves with the edges thereof sewed to the partition wall 28 on opposite sides of the slot 30. The

sides of the material 3| are suitably sewed together, as at 32. A Zipper fastener is provided for closing the entrance to the pocket, and the tapes of the fastener are sewed to the partition wall 28 and the ends of the lining material 3| on opposite sides of the slot 3|]. This forms the pocket extending in opposite directions from the closure fastener, and it is to be noted that the auxiliary flap 33 of the inner wall 2! completely overlies the closure fastener.

In Figure 5 is illustrated another form of the invention, in which the pocket is formed solely in the main flap of the hang-bag, and extends from the outer longitudinal edge of the flap into the body portion of the flap. The fiap shown in Figure 5 is generally indicatedby the reference character 35, and in this form the inner Wall or piece 36, which corresponds to the inner wall M of that form of the invention shown in Figures 1 'and 2, is sewed, as at 31, at its transverse edges only to the back wall of the flap.

This inner wall 36 extends into the body of the pocket-book for a short distance, and may constitute the finishing strip for the inner face of the back of the body of the bag. This leaves the outer longitudinal edge of the inner wall 36 free to form an, auxiliary closure flap 38. Sewed between the inner wall 36 and the back of the flap 39 is a partition wall 49, and this wall terminates short of the outer free longitudinal edge of the inner wall 36 A finishing piece 4| of leather or the like is sewed to the inner face of the back 39 over the outer edge of the partition wall 40 and under the auxiliary flap 38. This finishing piece 4| is provided with the relatively wide, longitudinally extending slot or out-out portion 42. The lining 43 for the pocket is folded upon itself, and has its longitudinal edges sewed to the finishing piece on opposite sides of the slot 42, and the ends of the lining are sewed together as at 44. A Zipper fastener 45 is provided for closing the slot, and its tapes are sewed to the opposite walls of the slot 42. By this arrangement the entrance to the pocket is disposed adjacent to the outer edge of the main flap, and the auxiliary fiap 38 is so disposed as to still cover the entrance.

In Figure 6 a still further formof the invention is shown, and in this form the pocket extends inwardly from the closure flap into the body of the bag. In Figure 6 the hand-bag is generally indicated by the reference character 50, and the same includes the body 5| and the main closure flap 52 therefor. continuation of the back of the bag, and the flap has sewed thereto an inner wall 53, the inner longitudinal edge of which is left free to provide the auxiliary flap 54. A finishing piece or partition wall 55 is sewed at its longitudinal and transverse edges to the back of the bag, and the same is provided with a longitudinally extending, relatively wide slot 56 under the auxiliary flap 54. A lining 51 is disposed in the body of the bag between the back of the bag and the partition wall- 55, and this lining is folded back upon itself and has its longitudinal edges sewed respectively to the wall 55 on opposite sides of the slot 56. The end edges of the lining are sewed together, as at 58. A Zipper fastener 59 is provided for closing the entrance to the pocket, and the tapes of the fastener are sewed to the wall 55 on opposite sides of the slot 56, and to the longitudinal edges of the lining 51.

In Figure '7 I have shown the pocket formed in til cordance with this invention, is formed from a plurality of plies of material. The outer ply is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 65, and a lining 66 is arranged between the plies to form the novel pocket. The lining is folded back upon itself on a longitudinal line,and its longitudinal edges are sewed to the outer ply on opposite sides of the slot 65. The ends of the lining 66 are sewed together as at 61. By this construction 1 form the pocket directly in a partition wall, and the entrance to the pocket can be closed by a Zipper fastener 68. The tapes of the Zipper fastener are sewed to the outer ply of the partition wall, and to the longitudinal edges of the lining material 66 on opposite sides of the slot 65. Attention is invited to the fact that the front wall 63 of the body of the pocket-book has its upper edge left free so as to provide an auxiliary flap 69, and this auxiliary flap 69 overlies the slot and the Zipper fastener 68. Thus, the pocket and the closure therefor are normally concealed from view.

By referring to the various forms of the invention, it will be noted that in all forms the fastener lies flat against and parallel with the wall with which the same is associated, as hereinbefore explained, and hence provides a thin, fiat closure.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that a novel concealed pocket is provided, in

which all loss of, matter placed therein is prevented, and in which the entrance is completely hidden, even when the bag is in its open position.

Concealed pockets are known in the art, but I am the first to provide a complete closure for the secret pocket, and to provide means for completely covering the fastener and the closure so that the same is hidden from an observer.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, but what is claimed as new is:

In a ladys hand-bag, a body, a main closure flap for the body including a back, an inner wall for said flap stitched at its side transverse edges and one longitudinal edge to the back, a partition wall disposed between the back and the inner wall and stitched thereto, a finishing strip secured to the back and the inner edge of the partition wall, said finishing strip having a longitudinally extending slot therein, a piece of material folded back upon itself disposed between the partition wall and the back having its longitudinal edges secured to the finishing strip on opposite sides of the slot, means securing the side edges of the material together, and a slide fastener for the walls of said slot, the inner wall of the flap having an auxiliary bendable flap thereon overlying said fastener.

HERMAN B. WELCH. 

